Dr. Ashley's lab

Local and Landscape Genetic Processes in Oaks

Several major findings have emerged from our studies of remnant stands of bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa) in northeastern Illinois. We have found that wind-dispersed oak pollen often travels long distances, and even acorns from isolated stands are pollinated by trees outstand the stand. High levels of gene flow keep populations reproductively connected across the landscape. Long-distance pollination has also recently been confirmed in California valley oak, Quercus lobata, in work done in collaboration with Walt Koenig. We have also been investigating patterns of hybridization among various white oak species, both in the Midwest and in California. Finally, we are studying conservation genetics questions in threatened species of oaks, including island oak, Quercus tomentella, found only on the California Channel Islands, and Quercus hinckleyi, found only in a few populations in West Texas.

Sibling Reconstruction

I am collaborating with a team of UIC computer scientists to tackle the problem of reconstructing sibling groups in wild populations using DNA microsatellite data. We have developed efficient computational methods for identifying full siblings and half siblings, without parental data, and assuming only Mendelian inheritance of genetic markers. This work is supported by an NSF grant. We have made these methods available to all researchers via an online software suite called KINALYZER. Please see our Wiki Page for more information.